Nitrogen and phosphorus uptake efficiency in Indian mustard cultivated during three growth cycles in a copper contaminated soil treated with biochar

• Autor(a) principal: Gonzaga,Maria Isidória Silva
• Data de Publicação: 2019
• Outros Autores: Souza,Danyelle Chaves Figueiredo de, Almeida,André Quintão de, Mackowiak,Cheryl, Lima,Idamar da Silva, Santos,José Carlos de Jesus, Andrade,Raquel Santos de
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Ciência Rural
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-84782019000100250
• topic: biochar; pyrogenic carbon; copper contamination; plant nutrition; Brassica juncea

ABSTRACT: Biochar has been used worldwide as an efficient soil amendment due to its beneficial interaction with soil particles and nutrients; however, studies on the effect of biochar on the availability of nutrients such as N and P in tropical soils are still missing. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of different types and doses of biochars on the concentration and uptake of N and P in Indian mustard plants (Brassica juncea L.) grown in a Cu contaminated soil during three successive growth cycles. The greenhouse experiment was set up as randomized block design in a 3x3 factorial scheme, with 3 types of biochars (coconut shell, orange bagasse and sewage sludge) and three rates of application (0, 30 and 60t ha-1), and 4 replicates. Biochar increased plant growth by approximately 30 to 224%; however, the orange bagasse biochar was the most effective. Biochar reduced plant N concentration in approximately 15-43%, regardless of the rate of application, indicating the need to carefully adjust N fertilization. In the last growth cycle, biochar from coconut shell and orange bagasse improved the N uptake efficiency suggesting a better amelioration effect with ageing in soil. Biochar did not affect P nutrition in Indian mustard to a great extent; however, it significantly decreased the N:P ratio in the plant.